richmond raceway – ROVA DRIVE

Easter Rain Up To The Wire At Richmond

April 2, 2024April 21, 2024 Missed Gear

It is possible that NASCAR and Easter may be an egg in the basket too far. A handful of races were run on Easter in the “early days” of the series from 1953 to 1989. Then for over 30 years Easter marked a Spring break for the season. The dirt races at Bristol put Easter back in the mix and, this year (2024), the date caught up with Richmond Raceway.

Easter may have been a hard sell for NASCAR and Richmond. The start time was set as an evening race but it still pulls at holiday family time and the reality of Monday “back to work” for many whose jobs do not offer the Monday off.

The novelty of the dirt surface at Bristol may have put enough interest on the race to overcome chocolate bunnies and “traditional” family gatherings but Richmond did not have novelty or dirt. The rumblings are in the background of the possibility of losing a double race schedule. It is unfortunate that Richmond has been caught in a scheduling battle. It wasn’t long ago that Richmond was a focal point for early season racing and a “CHASE” finale with the Championship contenders put in place.

For the Toyota Owners 400, the race ran “mostly smoothly” after a mostly cloudy day had rain earlier that challenged the scheduled start. NASCAR pushed the green flag a few minutes and started the field on Goodyear rain tires. A competition caution pulled the field at lap 30 to swap back to standard racing tires. A couple of cautions outside of stage finishes allowed some shakeup but it was the final caution that pushed the race to overtime that brought the heat.

Martin Truex Jr was out in front when the final caution and restart shook it up for the finish. The restart had team mates Truex and Hamlin on the front row. Hamlin took an early nose out for rounding the first turn and kept the lead to the finish. Truex fell back to fourth. Joey Logano and Kyle Larson were second and third with Chase Elliott rounding the top five.

This was Hamlin’s second win of the season and his fifth Cup win at his “home track” in Virginia. Martin Truex Jr had some issue at the conclusion with his team mate and tactics on the restart but NASCAR did not issue any penalty for what could have been an early hit on the throttle.

Race photos supplied by DoS Images

Race Day Showcase

Talking Racing At Martinsville With Kaulig Racing

March 14, 2024March 18, 2024 Missed Gear

Racing comes in a lot of varieties and cost levels. The shoestring teams that struggle along with a dream and a whim are on the same platform as the deep pockets and the long history. It is that mix of history, ambition and hope that blend like asphalt and concrete at the iconic Martinsville Speedway.

Kaulig Racing started with a conversation, an invitation and a checking account. Deep pockets with a desire to race mixed with some experience and some spare parts to put cars on the track and begin to mix it up.

Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell shared a discussion of memory and anecdotes with Kaulig’s President Chris Rice with driver Josh Williams in the center offering a fresh look from behind the wheel. Students in the motorsports program at Patrick & Henry Community College were on hand for a Q&A on the core of the work that makes it all happen week in and week out.

Campbell spoke on working at the track, for the track and with his family from his grandfather H. Clay Earles, founder of the Martinsville Speedway. Clay has been there behind the bleachers, in the trenches and on the front lines. He’s raced, he’s won and he has put all of this experience together to keep Martinsville as a highlight for racing fans on the NASCAR schedule. He continues to be inspired and grateful for the fans that fill the stands on race day.

Chris Rice of Kaulig Racing spoke on the importance of detail and the work of those details. Work smart and stay focused. He had a love of the sport from early on but he was clear on his distractions of the sport that delayed his progress. Stories of racing included a post race tear down, improper cylinder heads and being completely unaware of what the issue was, or why it was an issue in the first place. That particular post race inspection was at Martinsville and it was Clay Campbell backing up the inspection with the rule book.

Driver Josh Williams expressed his appreciation for having the opportunity to drive with Kaulig Racing and a bit about his racing history from Florida on up through the ranks. Him and Rice traded some quips about discipline and training and, for the students there, offered up further advice on being focused. There was a definite hint that luck follows dedication.

Kaulig Racing is a young team taking bits and pieces from retired shops, backup cars and advice or help when offered. They have seen some success and they have had it dashed so their expectations are tempered by the reality of the moment. They remain optimistic each and every day to chase the wins and the success as they roll further into the season.

Racing at Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway is on their radar as those dates come closer. Check them out on race day and you might just have another favorite to pull for.

Race Day Showcase

Chris Buescher Hot Win At Richmond

July 31, 2023August 6, 2023 Missed Gear

The NASCAR Cup race on Sunday, July 30th, at Richmond Raceway went by with calculated strategy rather than “hit and run” havoc. The temperatures were still quite hot with in-car readings reaching 130 degrees. The pressure was on for a win as the Playoff season is coming fast. (The cut off race is Daytona at the end of August).

Team mates Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher were the race lap leaders for almost half of the Cookout 400. Keselowski is also an owner for the Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing team.

There were only 3 cautions and 2 were the stage finishes. The third came as the race was coming to a close setting up a 3 lap run for the checkers that had Buescher leading Denny Hamlin by half a second. The #17 Fastenal RFK Ford was well in front of the #11 of Hamlin before the caution.

Pit stops proved to be the “make it or break it” events for the race. Bubba Wallace had a good early run but a tire change mishap set him back. Pole sitter Tyler Reddick was flagged for a pit commitment violation and had to race back to a 16th place finish. Brad Keselowski also had a pit sequence which had him in the stall a bit too long with an odd angle going in forcing extra time on exit.

Tyler Reddick was the stage 1 winner. Brad Keselowski took stage 2.

Buescher’s win sets him into the playoffs. Denny Hamlin ran 2nd. Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Ryan Preece filled the top 5.

PHOTO GALLERY – NASCAR CUP – Richmond Raceway – Cookout 400 – July 30, 2023

Race Day Showcase

NASCAR Trucks Playoffs set at Richmond

July 31, 2023August 6, 2023 Missed Gear

NASCAR mid-summer weekend at Richmond Raceway was a hot one. Temperatures pushed well into the nineties and the racing brought a challenge to teams and drivers. The late July schedule brought the Craftsman Series Trucks and NASCAR Cup to the Virginia capitol city on Saturday, July 29th.

The trucks faced a deadline as the Worldwide Express 250 at Richmond was the last race to make the series Playoffs. A win to secure or a points ride sufficient to cling to a spot was essential. Ty Majeski was going for it with a pole start and both stage wins. However, a pit road speeding mistake put him back in the field. This proved to be the point that upset the evening for the #98 ThorSport Racing Ford.

Majeski was able to race back to the front but it cost him a late race pit stop so he was out on track racing against fresh rubber on competitors’ trucks as the laps wound down. Those newer tires allowed #42 Niece Motorsports Chevy driver, Carson Hocevar, driving with the title sponsor Worldwide Express on the panels, to take the lead with three laps to go. The Richmond win for Hocevar made his third of the season as he drove from a 17th place start to win the night.

Majeski still had season points to make the Playoffs. The win would have been a boost but Majeski, Nicholas Sanchez, Matt Dibenedetto and series veteran Matt Crafton just made it in on points.

Corey Heim, Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar, Christian Eckes, Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski, Ben Rhodes and Nicholas Sanchez, Matt Dibenedetto and Matt Crafton are racing into the Round of Ten with their next race coming at Indianapolis.

PHOTO GALLERY – Worldwide Express 250 – Craftsman Series Trucks at Richmond Raceway

Race Day Showcase

Richmond Toyota Owners 400 – April 2023

April 3, 2023April 3, 2023 Missed Gear

It almost appeared to be a Hendrick vs Gibbs kind of day at Richmond Raceway. The Toyota Owners 400 had good shows from Denny Hamlin with a stage win and others from the Toyota stable making good runs. It was the Hendrick drivers that ran the edge.

William Byron was pressing the lead with a stage win and up front performance. A late race restart jumbled the front row as Christopher Bell ran up on Byron’s #24 with a shove a bit too hard which spun Byron towards the outside wall.

This set a stage for another restart and another pair of Hendrick drivers to run for the finish. Kyle Larson in the #5 and the Chase Elliott fill driver, Josh Berry, in the #9. Byron was way back in the field after a good run for the day but time and damage had the #24 now. The final laps turned over and it was Kyle Larson out front for the win. Berry held on for a well earned 2nd place for his Cup filler Richmond run.

Ross Chastain followed for third on the day. Christopher Bell and Kevin Harvick filled the top five.

The main NASCAR Cup eveny on Sunday, April 2nd closed a weekend of weather variety. The Whelen Modified race from Friday was pushed to Saturday as rain began minutes before the scheduled green flag. Practice and qualifying for the XFinity and Cup series was also blown out Saturday morning. The XFinity and Whelen races went off Saturday afternoon as winds kicked up a bit. For Cup Sunday, the skies were blue and the racing was set on schedule.

Racing returns to Richmond in July. Photos from the Sunday, April 2nd Toyota Owners 400 are below!

Race Day Showcase

Harvick Doubles Up at Richmond

August 15, 2022August 16, 2022 Missed Gear

Wow… Somewhat unexpected but not completely. Kevin Harvick won at Richmond.

Kyle Larson had the pole in the Federated Auto Parts 400 and finished 14th. Harvick started 13th and crossed the checkers with the win so it was almost a spot trade. It’s OK as Larson is still ranked a few spots above Harvick even though Larson has one win against Harvick’s two…

It is NASCAR points math… Just run with it and don’t be confused…

Ross Chastain was the stage 1 winner. Joey Logano took stage 2 and also led the race for the high count of 222 laps.

We also have to take a late season look at Harvick… There could be any combination of reasons that kept Harvick out of Victory Lane for so long. The “new” NextGen car, team and crew issues, experience tempered with age… What can’t be overlooked, however, is that Kevin is a Cup Champion that has a history in this sport that bridges the past and future. It was Harvick who drove the Earnhardt car with #29 in 2001…

However, one week before Richmond, Harvick broke a 65 race winless streak at Michigan. Now he has two wins back to back with the 60th Cup win just now at Richmond…

Has something clicked…? Has this new car come into the grips of Harvick just in time to make a real run in 2022…? Was 2021 on cruise control…? Did Stewart-Haas change the coffee in the shop…?

Harvick’s Crew Chief, Rodney Childers, believes the team and all involved have been steadily taking the new car forward for the past few months and it is coming together with results.

Whatever, the reason… Luck, skill or collaboration… The #4 team have two wins and, no matter who wins or loses before the playoff cutooff, that puts Harvick in the post-season Championship run.

NASCAR moves on to the two final races in the regular season. Watkins Glen and Daytona give the final chances to “win in” to the playoffs. Ryan Blaney is currently in the mix without a season win so far. If another driver wins that hasn’t already Blaney’s points move to the back burner.

Darlington is the first race in the playoffs. Martinsville is the last elimination before the “Championship 4” go for it at Phoenix.

Full PHOTO GALLERY – Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway

Race Day Showcase

Playoff Trucks at Richmond

August 14, 2022August 16, 2022 Missed Gear

The Camping World Series is already in their playoff season with Grant Enfinger taking the first playoff win at Indy on July 29. (NASCAR Cup has a couple more to go)

Richmond notched a 3rd season win for Chandler Smith and put him in the mix with Enfinger to move to the next round. Three time series champ Matt Crafton is in a must win position going to Kansas in September.

Ty Majeski had the pole and the 1st stage. Chandler took stage 2 and the race win. The top 4 drivers across the line at Richmond, Chandler Smith, John H. Nemechek, Ty Majeski and Grant Enfinger are all chasing playoff points.

Full Photo Gallery – Worldwide Express 250 for Carrier Appreciation at Richmond Raceway